Paul David Pope

Author, businessman and humanitarian Paul David Pope, 47, is a third-generation Italian-American. Throughout his childhood, Paul heard stirring stories from his father, Gene Pope, Jr., about their family legacy – especially the remarkable rags-to-riches saga of his grandfather, Generoso Pope, Sr. Gene planted in Paul the seeds of pride in his Italian heritage and encouraged him to keep alive the memory of his ancestors.

Pope was born in New York and raised in Florida’s Palm Beach County, where he attended Pope John Paul II High School. He then attended the Royal Academy of the Dramatic Arts in London, where he studied acting and singing. Groomed by his father to run the National Enquirer, he worked in the paper’s distribution, editorial, and business departments, learning the ropes from the bottom up. Following Gene’s death in 1988, when Paul was not named publisher of the Enquirer, and the paper went up for sale, he mounted a bid to acquire it that fell just short. Soon after, he embarked on the writing of the revelatory book, “The Deeds of My Fathers.”

In the process, Pope developed the highly sensitive and potentially explosive Pope Media Center, which contains more than 10 terabytes of digital and digitized assets derived from every form of original media starting in the early 1900s and extending through to present day. Development of the Pope Media Center took more than two decades, and includes a compilation of historic data from several continents as well as hundreds of interviews with top experts, including writers, photographers, world famous investigators, politicians, high profile news journalists such as Mike Wallis from 60 Minutes, noted gangsters, industry moguls, famous actors, lawyers, publishers, press, agents and talent managers. Additionally, it contains thousands of personal photos, talk show clips, feature magazine stories, secret FBI and CIA files, archival material from presidential libraries, dedications, videos, audio taped conversations, and large scale productions. It has become Pope’s life missions to compile this extensive documentation of the Pope family legacy.

The Pope Media Center has since contributed to such notable volumes as “The Italian Americans,” edited by Maria Laurino; “Pope’s Pilgrimage,” written by Pope; “Big Town Biography: Lives and Times of the Century’s Classic New Yorkers,” edited by Jay Maeder of the New York Daily News; and “The Italians of New York: Five Centuries of Struggle and Achievement,” which Pope underwrote and published and is edited by Philip V. Cannistraro.

Pope also formed his own company, Pope Entertainment Group. He was an Associate Producer of the Broadway musical Rent and produced the critically acclaimed motion picture Manny & Lo. He also sponsored the U.S. premiere of Quentin Tarantino’s Curdled for the benefit of the Film Society of Miami.

In the past decade, Pope has undertaken the organization of major events in the Italian-American community. He was chief sponsor of the New York Historical Society’s exhibit “The Italians of New York: Five Centuries of Struggle and Achievement.” In recognition of his efforts to promote Italian-American causes, he has received awards from the Consul General of Italy in New York, the Italian Apostolate of the Archdiocese of New York, the New York Conference of Italian American State Legislators, the Italian Welfare League, the Columbus Citizens Foundation, and the Order Sons of Italy in America. Pope has given his time, energy and support to such charitable groups as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Kids in Distress, and Best Buddies, which is dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with mental disabilities. He has also given his support to the University of Miami, the Miami Heart Institute and the Miami City Ballet. He has received numerous awards from civic and charitable organizations for his philanthropic efforts. His newest charitable endeavor, Save Our World, is designed to raise the potential of humanity.

Pope’s second book, “Confessions” – a true story of incredible power and excess where life has no limits and the players no conscience – is set to be released by end of year. The juicy tell-all memoir paints a vivid picture of a life of excess and privilege – a story that is salacious, sinister, historically riveting and sexy to a modern day audience:

The life you dream of, he lives. No rules, no limits, no apologies. The true story behind a tabloid media dynasty isn’t always pretty; in fact, it’s downright shocking. Multimillionaire bad boy Paul David Pope grew up leading a privileged lifestyle that few could imagine. From outlandish private parties with live zebras to vaults of heavy armor and exotic foreign trips with receptions reserved for kings and presidents, it’s a nonstop adventure into a world never before revealed. But being the patriarch of a powerful global family has its price. Through the eyes of the notorious bad boy you will experience the ultimate highs and deep lows of life in a billion dollar glass house where everyone is throwing stones. 

“Confessions” is the sometimes hilarious, sometimes frightening, usually jaw-dropping, and always gripping memoir of Pope, a young man who should have been dead long ago. That he has survived, and has even achieved a life that vaguely resembles normalcy, should be considered an inspiration to millions. What keeps the story fresh and readable at every turn is Pope’s uniquely quirky take on almost everything; he’s learned to view both himself and the world with a kind of ironic detachment that allows him to see the dark humor in the most uncomfortable situation. 

Paul David Pope lives Florida, near the towns of Lantana and Manalapan, where his father relocated the National Enquirer and his family from New Jersey and New York in 1971.